


Mirror, Mirror

by eli99alien



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Awkward Romance, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2020-01-07 02:23:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18401207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eli99alien/pseuds/eli99alien
Summary: sort of a medieval/fantasy au in which Roman is an actual literal prince because he deserves it and Patton is but a humble stable boy because that’s one of my favorite tropes alright leave me alone.the beginning is in Roman's POV, and then it switches to Patton's.





	Mirror, Mirror

The mirror had been passed down through generations, showing the owner what they most desired. The day Roman had received it, he was perplexed by what it showed him. He had been expecting wealth, riches beyond his own imagination, or riding into a tremendous battle and emerging victorious. But what he had seen was completely different; a small, sweet, humble stable boy.

The image that appeared in the glass was foggy and muddled at best, but at this point the boy was easily recognizable, though Roman was positive he’d never spoken a word to him before. He sighed to himself as he lay on his bed and rolled onto his stomach, resting his chin in his free hand. Normally he had all the confidence in the world, and yet, the right way to approach this boy eluded him. He found himself at a loss for words every time he saw him.

The sound that came through the mirror was just as muddled as the visuals, though Roman could still pick out what was being said. The boy (he still hadn’t even learned his name) spoke to the horses as he tended to them, spending extra time and energy on Roman’s favorite steeds. Presently, he was replacing the shoes on Hercules, a white destrier that Roman had begged his father for. His favorite. While Roman was a prince, and destriers typically were warhorses upon which knights rode, he had been gifted one only after years of incessant pleading. He often fantasized about riding Hercules into battle, the Great Horse aiding him in either the destruction of his enemies, or a brave, heroic death.

But, for now, Hercules remained a horse for casual use, though he was pampered beyond belief by both Roman and the stable boys.

“There you are, kiddo. Much better now. You’re an awfully pretty horse, aren’t you?” The boy cooed at Hercules, having moved on to brushing his mane. “A pretty, big, scary horse.”

The smile on Roman’s lips was one of adoration. He needed to find out his name. He needed to learn everything there was to know about him.  
Roman huffed in frustration and set the mirror on a pillow, the image fading away until the glass resembled that of any old mirror. He stood before he could talk himself out of it, figuring that sitting around staring at what he wanted wouldn’t do him any good. He had to actually attempt to get what he wanted; the mirror’s job was only to make him aware of what it was he truly desired, what he was meant to have, and it had always been right with everyone before him.

On his way out of his bedroom, he collided with someone standing on the other side of the door, hand raised, ready to knock. Roman’s royal tutor.

“Oh, there you are,” Logan said, taking a step back and adjusting his collar. “You skipped yesterday’s lessons, so I thought now might be a good time to—”

“Yeah, yeah, sounds great. Listen, would you happen to know the name of—well, actually it may be better just to show you,” Roman rambled, a million thoughts going through his mind at once. Logan was smart, and analytical, he would know the right way to approach this. Roman grabbed Logan by the wrist and pulled him into the bedroom, back-tracking. Logan stood stiff and uncomfortable near the entrance while Roman threw himself onto the bed and picked up the mirror.

“Your highness, this is quite unusual. I shouldn’t be in your chambers.”

“Could you hush for one moment?” He stood with the mirror in hand, furrowing his brow down at it. The glass reacted to his touch and shimmered to life; once again appeared the boy that made Roman’s heart skip.

“I’ve always disliked that heirloom, it’s devoid of any specificity and—”

“Be quiet, you royal pain,” Roman groaned. He turned the mirror around to show Logan what he saw, confidence beginning to falter at the reality of anyone else seeing such a personal thing.

Logan raised an eyebrow at Roman before adjusting his eyeglasses and peering into the mirror. “It’s… a boy?” He asked softly. Roman nodded, taking the mirror back and holding it to his chest.

“Do you know his name?” His voice was low, hesitant. And he swore he felt his heart shatter when Logan shook his head. His eyes were full of interest, though, Roman could practically see the gears turning.

“A stable boy.” Logan shook his head, incredulous. “I suppose I shouldn’t have expected anything different from you; you are rather—pardon the word-play—romantic, and it should make sense that what the mirror believes you most desire is…” He met Roman’s eyes, splaying out his hands. “Love.”

The room fell silent as Roman stared down at his feet. He couldn’t explain why, but embarrassment crawled up his spine and displayed itself through the hues on his cheeks. It frustrated him that the one thing that made his confidence falter was romance, and yet it was what he craved most. Fear clouded his judgement. Fear that, despite his undeniable looks and charm and wealth and status, he might fall short. He might be unimpressive to someone who doesn’t care about that, someone humble and sweet. What if the stable boy had no interest in him? What if he resented him due to his status? What if Roman intimidated him? What if—

Logan put a hand on Roman’s shoulder, jerking him out of his thoughts and nearly causing the mirror to fall to the ground. “I can tell you are overthinking all of this, your highness. You know that all you need to do is speak to him, don’t you? And you can do that at any other time! For today, I was thinking...” Logan continued to speak, though Roman blocked it out, his attention still stuck on this romantic dilemma.

Roman took a quivering breath and nodded. He straightened his posture and set the mirror on his mattress once again, flashing Logan a confident smile that had been rehearsed to perfection. He placed a hand on Logan’s shoulder the same way the other had done moments before, and it halted his speech. “Yes. I know that. Thank you, Logan.” 

Roman once again moved to leave the room, leaving Logan to scurry after him, making sure to close the door to the prince’s chambers. He followed Roman outside and past the gardens, talking his ear off about future lessons and such.

“Your highness, if I may, though I do encourage your quest to obtain what you desire, I also encourage you to devote a little more time to learning, and— though I think that speaking to Patton is certainly necessary, doing so during your tutoring hours may not—”

“Patton?” Roman wheeled around, forcing Logan to stumble back a few steps. Immediately, the tutor shrunk in on himself, realizing his mistake.

“Ah… Yes. You see, I—”

“You knew his name.” Roman’s expression was unreadable, but it sent a chill down Logan’s spine all the same. “You lied to me.”

“That— well, yes, your highness, but I didn’t think—”

“Why would you do that? I asked you a question and you just lied, without a second thought?”

“You see—”

“No hesitation. And for what? Why did you feel the need?”

“Prince Roman, if I could just—“

“Stop interrupting me!” Roman clenched his fists to his sides and he could feel the eyes of servants on him, his shout ringing across the courtyard. 

Logan flinched and sealed his lips shut. Roman immediately felt the guilt creeping up into his chest, and he let his hands relax. He glanced around them; everyone he looked at averted their gazes as soon as his was upon them. He sighed and took a step back from Logan, raking his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “Explain.”

Logan hesitated, but eventually relaxed and adjusted his eyeglasses before speaking. Roman wondered why he adjusted them so often if they never seemed out of place. Nervous habit? But Logan didn’t seem like the type of person to be nervous. “I simply didn’t want you to be too distracted from your studies. I thought the mirror’s prophecy could wait, until after our lessons. I didn’t want you getting too excited.” His words only angered Roman more, but he shoved it down and listened, his jaw clenched.

“You were the one that told me I needed to talk to him.”

“Yes. Yes, of course, and you should, I just meant… After our lesson.”

Roman shook his head and let himself take a moment to breathe and calm himself down. “There won’t be any lessons today,” he said, turning to continue towards the stables. Logan hesitantly called out after him, but didn’t pursue.

He could read books and pretend to pay attention to Logan’s lectures any other day. This was the first time he’d gathered the confidence to speak to the boy, and he wasn’t going to let it wither away.

Patton…

What a pretty name.

 

————

 

As Roman approached the stables, his heart raced so quickly he was afraid he’d lose track of it. The incident with Logan was completely forgotten, the only thing on his mind a pretty boy with a pretty name and a pretty voice. He stopped beside the first stable boy he saw, gently gripping his arm and glancing around while speaking to him.

“Excuse me, where could I find…” He trailed off, spotting his foci in the distance. Turned away, but Roman could recognize him anywhere.

“Um… Your highness?” Roman redirected his gaze to the poor boy he was still holding onto. Releasing his grip, he mumbled an apology before making his way over to the center of his attention.

He took a deep breath and summoned all of the confidence he could manage into his walk, his expression, he was hyper-aware of where his hands were, fiddling with the ends of his sleeves.

Just as he reached him, Patton turned, nearly colliding with the prince. The shock threw off Roman’s poise, but only for a moment before he gathered himself and cleared his throat, eyes trained on the other boy.

“Oh!” The sudden pink dusting Patton’s cheeks was impossible to miss. “Prince Roman… My apologies, I didn’t see you there.” He beamed up at Roman, and the prince’s heart melted in an instant. Patton was shorter than him by merely a few inches, and an array of freckles accompanied the pink hues along his face and neck. He wore eyeglasses, just like Logan, though Roman found them much more endearing on Patton. “Your highness?”

Roman realized he hadn’t said a word as Patton spoke again, and he snapped to attention. He flashed him a fearless smile and held out his hand. “Patton, yes?”

The smaller man’s eyes widened and he hesitated, lips parted slightly, for a moment before nodding and accepting the other’s hand. “Yes. How did you—?”

“In all honesty, you might say I’ve… had my eye on you for a while, I suppose. And I mean that in the most flattering way possible.” He was about to ramble on, but he caught himself and cleared his throat instead. Judging by the heartbeat he could feel from Patton’s hand and the adorable blush covering almost his entire face, Roman didn’t need to say much more. And he didn’t need to worry about rejection, either, apparently. His confidence seeped back into him, fueling him, and the heart-melting smile on his lips was no longer practiced or forced, but genuine. “Would you like to take a walk?”

 

————

 

Patton wanted to say yes immediately, but for some reason, he hesitated. He could feel his heart rate increasing dangerously, Roman’s big brown eyes staring holes into him. He was vaguely aware that his palms were probably sweaty, and the longer he took to answer, the less interested he might seem even if that wasn’t the case at all.

“I...” he began. He looked around them at the stables, the horses he cared so much for. His chest deflated, his heart sank. He still had so much work to do, he couldn’t just abandon everything to be swept off his feet by a dashing prince. “Your highness, I don’t think...”

A hand on his shoulder startled him, making him yelp and turn his head quickly to see who was touching him. Another boy, one who’s name Patton didn’t even know, flashed him a smile and said, “Go on, I’ll hold down the fort here for you. You work harder than any of the rest of us, anyway. Take a break.” Patton’s shoulders relaxed a little, the grin returning to his lips. 

“Thank you,” he said quietly, before addressing his prince once again. “Yes. I would like that very much.” Roman’s eyes lit up, setting fire to Patton’s heart. He turned without another word, still holding onto Patton’s hand, and pulled him away from the stables.

The heat wouldn’t leave Patton’s neck or face as they walked, completely in silence. He wondered if he should pull his hand away. It felt inappropriate to be touching the prince so casually and so constantly. Suddenly he was very aware of the dirt staining his clothing and skin. Roman was so clean, so elegant, so beautiful, and so deliriously confusing. He realized he was staring up at the prince’s face when he caught his eye, his smile growing wider. Finally, he spoke. 

“I know this might be a bit of a shock,” he said softly, slowing their pace and letting Patton walk beside him instead of pulling him along behind. “But I have something I’d like to show you.”

“Of course, your highness.” Patton’s words were barely audible, the look in the prince’s eyes knocking the air right out of his lungs. He looked at Patton as if he were the most important person in the world, a mix of excitement and adoration and a passion that Patton had never seen in anyone before.

“Roman,” he said, and Patton blinked in surprise. “Call me Roman. You don’t need to bother with formalities with me.” 

Patton averted his gaze to the ground beneath his feet, biting back a smile. “Of course. Roman.” It felt odd, the name rolling off his tongue without Prince preceding it. But nice. He wondered what had so suddenly come over the prince, why he was so suddenly speaking to him, interacting with him, for the first time. Why now? Why him? And why, in general?

He didn’t ask any of the questions bouncing around his mind as they entered the castle, hand still in hand, the high walls and grand staircases and delicate interior design intimidating him to his very core. He drew in a breath, eyes wide, but Roman continued to pull him along as if their surroundings weren’t the most beautiful thing Patton had ever laid eyes on. 

“Your— Er, Roman,” he said, barely a whisper. “May I ask where we’re going?” His eyes raked over every detail of the interior he could pick out at the speed they were going, through so many hallways Patton lost his sense of direction.

“My chambers,” Roman answered, casual and composed. Patton nearly choked on his own breath, stumbling along behind the prince. He barely managed to stabilize himself, speeding up just a hair to look at Roman’s face.

“I’m sorry?”

He only received another knee-buckling grin as an answer. His nerves were alight, a million thoughts racing through his head, a million questions, his heart beating out of his chest.

Roman stopped abruptly. Patton collided with the prince’s back, yelping softly and immediately backing away again. Before he could recover from the sudden touch, Roman pulled him to the side, around a corner, and pressed him to the wall. The prince hovered like that for a split second, hands on both of Patton’s arms, his face only a breath away. But then he moved to Patton’s side and pressed his own back against the wall. Patton was beginning to feel light-headed.

“Roman, what—“

“Shh!” A hand clasped over his mouth, causing another surprised but muffled yelp. Roman peered around the corner before quickly ducking back. It seemed as if he was hiding himself and Patton from someone or something around the corner, but Patton couldn’t see who or what it was. “Sorry,” he mumbled, retracting his hand from Patton’s mouth. “I saw Logan, and didn’t want him to see us. I’d rather avoid a lecture.”

Patton had no clue who this Logan was, but he said nothing as they stood there, breathing in time with one another in complete silence. He felt something brushing against his hand, and looked down just in time to see Roman’s fingers intertwining with his. They’d been holding hands for the majority of the time they’d known each other already, but this felt much more intimate, and he could sense Roman’s nerves as he did it, until Patton gave his hand a gentle squeeze and he seemed to relax. 

Just as Patton was parting his lips to ask one of the many questions infesting his mind, Roman spoke instead. “I think it’s safe. Come on.” The prince continued their walk through the palace, their hands still clasped together, until finally they stopped at the top of a long staircase, in front of a door that could only lead to the chambers. Patton’s heart was beating so loud he was sure Roman could hear it, but the prince seemed just as nervous as him, which was definitely a relief. 

“Roman?” 

“Huh? Oh. Right.” 

Roman opened the door and gently pulled Patton inside the room after him. It was ridiculously huge, with separate rooms extending off of it, leading to who knows what else. Even just the sight of the giant, intricate bed and the red and white curtain frame was enough to stun Patton, his eyes wide as he tried his best to take in all the grandeur. Roman’s hand left his, and the prince wandered over to the bed while Patton examined a worn toy set on a desk. A little clay horse, probably from Roman’s childhood, that looked similar to Hercules. It made him smile, the toy humanizing Roman even more. He wasn’t just some elaborate, over the top prince, royalty to be feared and respected. He was a person, just like anyone else. 

“Be careful,” Roman’s voice said softly from behind him. “That’s probably my favorite possession. My mother made it for me.” There was a shared moment of comfortable silence between the two as Patton set the horse down back where he found it as gently as he could. The queen had passed back when he and Roman were both very young, and yet the death still weighed heavy on every citizen’s heart.

“Your highness,” Patton said softly, turning to face Roman again, who held a mirror now. The glass was facing Roman’s chest, and his fingers fiddled with the handle. His cheeks were red, though he tried to hide his nerves with a big, beautiful smile.  
“Roman.”

“Roman... I’m sorry, I’m still trying to understand why you brought me here.” Before he could continue, Roman stepped towards him, and turned the mirror around. It seemed to be like any other mirror, reflecting his face. Patton flinched as he saw every imperfection. Dirt in his hair and staining his cheeks, his mass of freckles, the redness in his face from this odd experience. For a moment, he was hurt. Was this just to show the difference between him and the prince? To remind him that he was just a simple stable boy, in the presence of someone much more important? Much more perfect? He brought his gaze back to Roman, features muddled with confusion. “Why are you... showing me this?” He asked, feigning a small smile as he tried to understand.

Roman cleared his throat and took another step towards Patton, who instinctively stepped back. “This mirror is an heirloom in my family. My mother had it before me, and her father had it before her. When my mother gave it to me, she told me this big long story about a princess, who didn’t know what she wanted. And it kept eating at her, disrupting her studies and her duties as the princess. She was pressured by her father to marry, pressured by her mother to focus on learning, pressured by the entire kingdom to rule the best she could, but she always seemed to fall short in everything she tried.

“One day she dressed in ragged clothing in order to disguise herself, and fled the castle, in search of what she truly wanted, whatever that was. Deep in the woods, she came across a dragon. She was terrified, but the dragon turned out to be friendly, and also a witch. Don’t ask, I’m sure the details of the story have gotten weird over the years. Anyway, the dragon witch was injured, having been attacked by an adventurer seeking treasure. The princess tended to the dragon witch’s wounds, and nursed her back to health. They bonded, and the dragon witch let the princess stay in her cave, where she was kept warm and fed. 

“The princess revealed her identity to the dragon witch, and told her of her dilemma. Grateful for the princess’s help in her time of need, the dragon witch decided to help her new friend as well in her own time of need. She gifted the princess with this mirror, and cast a spell on the glass, to show whoever holds it what it is they truly desire. Not only that, but whatever the mirror showed would also be completely obtainable by the user. So it wouldn’t just show you a pile of gold, if you had no idea where to get any gold at all. 

“The mirror showed the princess what she could have only dreamed of. A child. A little boy, with features that didn’t match hers at all. Confused, she asked the dragon witch what it meant. But the dragon witch was gone, nowhere to be found. The princess traveled back home, perplexed and disappointed. She didn’t want to marry, and the child in the mirror looked nothing like her, so what could it mean? Well, on her way back to the castle, she came across a small, malnourished orphan boy, being terrorized by merchants he had stolen food from. The princess interrupted the quarrel and paid for what the boy had taken, so he would have enough to eat. When she got a good look at him, she saw that he looked exactly like the image shown to her in the mirror.

"She immediately brought him back to the castle, and revealed herself to him as the princess. She took him in and raised her as her own. She never married, and focused all of her attention on caring for him and for her kingdom. When he was old enough, she passed the mirror onto him. And so it went, the mirror being passed down from generation to generation, revealing to the royal family what they truly wanted. And... well, now it’s mine.”

Patton stared at Roman in wonder as he told the story, incredulous. “Is that really true?” He asked, eyes full of hope.

“I think so. I mean, the mirror is definitely magic. It worked for my mother, and it’s working for me, I think.”

“What did you see in it?” Patton asked, and Roman’s nervous smile returned.

“You.”

Patton was taken aback, falling silent, stunned. He tried to wrap his head around it, understand what that meant. “Me?” he asked in a whisper, eyebrows drawn together.  
“I understand if you don’t believe me. But it’s true. I only now got the courage to actually speak to you. Here, I can prove it. Take the mirror,” Roman said, holding the mirror out to Patton. He almost refused, but curiosity got the best of him, and he carefully took the mirror into his own hands. His own reflection faded away, and the glass shimmered, pulling a new image into focus. Patton drew a sharp breath, looking back and forth between the mirror and the prince. Could it be possible? 

“What do you see?” Roman asked, nerves showing through in his voice. Patton laughed quietly to himself and the blush returned, making his whole face hot. But he was as giddy as can be. 

“You.”

**Author's Note:**

> yes, that's how it ends because i can't think of a better way to do it and i think it's adorable. thank you for reading, i hope you enjoyed!! i also hope that i dont get hit with another writing block any time soon. okay bye.
> 
> EDIT: hi ive decided im gonna write a second chapter of this, featuring logan and virgil and mayhaps some analogical. hmmmmm. you'll see.


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